Keyword: Storm Cat

Three yearlings bred by Robert and Janice McNair's Stonerside Stable sold for $3 million or more apiece last year at public auction. This year, the yearling market won't be pumped up by the McNairs' best young stock.

Unbeaten After Market, showing some greenness while making his stakes debut in his third start, collared Carnera in mid-stretch Sunday and went on to victory in the $107,400 Lexington (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-olds at nine furlongs on Belmont Park's firm inner turf course.

Western Gambler, a son of <a href="http://www.stallionregister.com/sr_sire_page.asp?refno=935962&origin=BHonline&result=1" target="_blank">Storm Cat</a>, was the top-priced horse at $275,000 during Wednesday's second session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. spring sale of 2-year-olds in training.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien's 3-year-old filly Kamarinskaya broke her maiden in the Dimitrova One Thousand Guineas Trial (Ire-III) at Leopardstown Saturday to become part of Ballydoyle's Classic mix this season.

Fusao Sekiguchi's 3-year-old Mr. Sekiguchi, purchased for $8 million at the 2004 Keeneland September yearling sale, slipped through along the rail and went on to capture his first victory by three-quarters of a length as the 9-10 favorite in a field of seven maidens at Santa Anita Saturday.

Todd Pletcher, whose bench is stronger than most other trainers' first string, sends out the first team on Saturday, when he'll saddle Bluegrass Cat in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. III) and Keyed Entry in the Gotham Stakes (gr. III).

A handsome bay colt became the first horse Tuesday to command a seven-figure price at the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training when he brought a $2.2-million final bid from Dale Romans.

The 3-year-old Mr. Sekiguchi, an $8 million yearling purchase making his career debut at Santa Anita Saturday for trainer Bob Baffert, opened up a big lead in the stretch before being overtaken close to home by another Baffert trainee, Rising Rate.

WinStar Farm's homebred Bluegrass Cat, the 3-5 favorite, withstood a serious threat from Flashy Bull in the deep stretch and drew away from the stubborn challenger to win the 92nd running of the $200,000 Remsen (gr. II) for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct Saturday.

The eighth day of trading at Keeneland's November breeding stock sale ended Monday evening with the Lexington auction house gaining slightly in most categories when compared to the same session last year. Up were the gross, average, and number of horses sold, with only a dip in the median keeping gains from reaching across the board.

WinStar Farm's Bluegrass Cat continued his education at Belmont Park on Friday afternoon, winning the $113,300 Nashua (gr. III) for 2-year-olds at a mile by 1 1/4 lengths over outsider Political Force.

A field of 10 horses has been drawn for Saturday's Kentucky Cup Classic at Turfway Park. Won last year by Roses in May, this year's event features grade II winner Grand Reward as the 122-pound highweight--and a new Polytrack surface.

An Unbridled's Song colt sold for $950,000 Wednesday early during the third session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. Stonestreet Stable, owned by Kendall-Jackson winery founder Jess Jackson was the buyer. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned the colt as agent.

There was a huge run on the market for sons and daughters of Storm Cat by the ultimate high-end buyers at the select sessions of the Keeneland September yearling sale. Leading the charge, of course, was the fall sale record $9.7 million bid by Sheikh Mohammed for a dark bay or brown colt by Storm Cat out of multiple grade I winner Tranquility Lake.

The marathon Keeneland September yearling sale got a quick start out of the gate Monday with a strong session in which the gross, average, and median prices were well above figures for the comparable session one year ago.

The Gary Birzer Benefit featuring a silent and live auction will take place at River Downs Sept. 4, to help raise funds for the 28-year-old jockey who remains paralyzed from the waist down after a spill July 20, 2004 at Mountaineer Park in Chester, W.Va.

The lone Storm Cat colt in the Fasig-Tipton select yearling sale elicited a protracted bidding duel between a pair of racing titans Wednesday night which resulted in a final $3.1 million winning bid from bloodstock agent Demi O'Byrne. The sale-topping colt added to a session total of $16,890,000, which was good for an average of $324,808 and a median of $200,000. Sixteen horses were RNA'd, or 23.5% of the night's total.

Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Bailey, Saratoga Race Course's all-time leading rider, took off his mounts Monday afternoon after he was hit in the face by his mount, Performing Diva, in the post parade of the fourth race at Saratoga.

The D. Wayne Lukas-trained Grand Reward might have finished third in a conditioned allowance/optional claiming race on the opening day of the Saratoga meeting, but the Hall of Fame trainer has bigger things in mind for the regally-bred son of Storm Cat

Osidy, a colt that trainer Richard Mandella has big plans for this year, registered his first victory in the United States with a patient ride by Alex Solis in the $109,100 Will Rogers (gr. IIIT) at Hollywood Park Saturday.

Kitty Street, a California-bred daughter of Sir Cat out of the Runaway Groom mare Stormy Street, turned in the fastest eighth of a mile Friday in the first training preview for the 2005 Barretts May Two-Year-Old in Training Sale.

Take a popular husband and wife who have already known the thrill of owning two Kentucky Derby-Preakness (both gr. I) winners and the agony of two close Belmont (gr. I) defeats. Add one of the most colorful and controversial trainers of modern times, and throw in the hottest commercial sire living. Add a French connection with an international flair, and what do you have?

Marty Wygod, owner of Sweet Catomine, said Tuesday on a national teleconference that if his filly does not run in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), she most likely will not ship to Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). Sweet Catomine is scheduled to face colts this weekend in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I).